Reece Walsh Australia World Cup semi-final win over Samoa, Digi Mart USA News (Sydney, Australia): On a fractious night in Sydney, Reece Walsh was at the centre of the action, for better or worse. The full-back scored three of Australia’s eight tries as they beat Samoa 44-12 to reach a 16th successive men’s Rugby League World Cup final.
His two second-half tries helped keep a burgeoning Samoa comeback at bay. His first-half effort, on 32 minutes, demonstrated his skill and showmanship, as he raced through the tiniest gap on the left to score in front of approximately 40,000 spectators.
Walsh celebrated with a backflip, the kind of celebration expected from a player once described by Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys as “the Justin Bieber of rugby league” and “charisma on steroids.” He lost his boot during the flip, and TV commentators briefly feared he had injured himself when he sat down to put it back on.
Australia coach Kevin Walters had said there would be no backflips in the second half, and Walsh reined himself in. “That’s just Reece,” Walters told the post-match media conference.
“He always brings up something you don’t expect. The backflip was no different.
Impressive though. He did it for some sick kids.
They all asked him to do a backflip if he scored a try.”
Walsh’s mistakes were more concerning for Walters. Two minutes before his first try, Samoa’s Stephen Crichton appeared to have grounded the ball to close the score to 16-6, but a slow-motion replay led to the debatable conclusion that Francis Manuleleua had knocked on.
Crichton did score in the second half after Walsh dropped a bomb.
Samoa lost their composure after Walsh was ruled to have been dangerously tackled, with a major flashpoint following. Walsh responded quickly after both Samoan scores, scoring his first international hat-trick.
Walters said of the errors: “That’s Reece. He brings great stuff to the team.”
The result keeps Australia’s 100% record at the tournament intact, with 170 points scored across four matches. Australia’s last World Cup defeat came against New Zealand in the 2008 final, and they have won 22 consecutive games since then, including the past three tournaments.
They will meet the Kiwis in Brisbane next Sunday, where Walsh will need to handle the returned Kalyn Ponga, who played the semi-final after battling on with a broken arm in the opening game.
For Samoa, it is a second successive World Cup defeat by Australia, following a 30-10 loss in the final four years ago. The two nations have met six times, with Australia winning all six.
Samoa coach Ben Gardiner was terse when asked about the refereeing decisions, which included two disallowed Samoan tries and a sin-binning of Spencer Leniu for dissent. Gardiner said Samoa had missed too many tackles and bounced off too many, adding: “That’s a Test match, that’s what you do.
It’s physical, there’s push and shove, stand your ground.”
